Skip to main content

Uh…are smartphones really making young people grow horns?

Journal of Anatomy

People have long complained of painful “tech neck” from overusing their smartphones, but now there’s evidence to suggest young people might be growing actual horns because of phone use. 

Researchers from the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia have recently found bone growth at the base of young adults’ necks, which looks like a horn jutting out from the skull, the Washington Post reports. The researchers attribute this new growth to consistent bending of the head when using smartphones or handheld devices. 

Recommended Videos

The research paper looked at 218 X-rays of young adults ages 18 to 30 and found that 41% had bone growth. Men had the specific bone growth more than women, according to the study. The size of the bone growths suggest that they took a long time to develop, most likely from childhood, so while smartphone use may not be completely linked to the growth, researchers say it could be likely.

It’s already known that smartphone and computer use can cause carpal tunnel or tendonitis. And tech neck causes the neck to reverse its curve from a backward curve to a forward curve, creating not only strain on your neck but your spine as well. Even our eyes are working harder from all the blue light we take in from our devices. 

While these types of problems show up from the overuse of devices, finding actual horns growing out of our necks is the among the first instances of technology literally be changing the evolution of our bodies. 

We could definitely be smarter when it comes to using our smart devices. Taking frequent breaks throughout the day to give your eyes, neck and hands a break could prove useful. There’s also a lot of talk lately about digital detoxes, which entails refraining from any use of technology for a certain period of time for both physical and mental health benefits. 

You don’t have to log off of your devices completely, but check in with your body from time to time before you adapt too much to the tech neck. 

“The answer is not necessarily swearing off technology. At least, there are less drastic interventions,” Mark Sayers, an associate professor of biomechanics at Sunshine Coast, told the Washington Post. “What we need are coping mechanisms that reflect how important technology has become in our lives.” 

Allison Matyus
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Allison Matyus is a general news reporter at Digital Trends. She covers any and all tech news, including issues around social…
Android 16 might give its own spin to iPhone’s Dynamic Island alerts
The DynamicSpot Dynamic Island at the top of the Pixel 7 Pro.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve come across some interesting details about the next major build of Android. Currently in development under the apparent codename of Baklava, Android 16 will reportedly bring a cool new feature called Priority modes for notifications.

If that sounds familiar, that’s because Apple already offers a bunch of focus modes toward the same goal and bolsters the system with AI-assisted priority notifications in iOS 18. It seems Google doesn’t want to be left behind, and in doing so, could very well lift from a popular iPhone trick.

Read more
Venom: The Last Dance is already falling short at the box office
Tom Hardy touches a horse in Venom: The Last Dance.

It may only be halfway through its opening weekend, but Venom: The Last Dance is already falling short of its franchise's standards at the box office.

The new comic book film brings Tom Hardy's big-screen adventures as Eddie Brock to an end and was, therefore, marketed as a zany and climactic final outing for the superhero genre's quirkiest duo. Unfortunately, while certain elements of the film's early trailers — like the Venom-ized horse that Eddie and his symbiote pal use at one point to travel a bit more quickly — went viral online, it doesn't seem like moviegoers feel as compelled to seek out Venom: The Last Dance like they did its two predecessors.

Read more
Apple’s smart display might aesthetically revive the iconic iMac G4
Apple iMac G4 desktop computer.

Apple’s foray into the smart display segment is eagerly anticipated, and if Bloomberg’s numerous reports are anything go by, we could see the first entry hit the shelves as early as 2025. Now, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, in the latest edition of his PowerOn newsletter, reports that the upcoming machine could borrow some inspiration from the legendary iMac G4.

“The screen is positioned at an angle on a small base, making it reminiscent of the circular bottom ... from a couple of decades ago,” Gurman writes.

Read more